This was a few days after we joined a sail Croatia tour. It had been magnificent, but for a few days my moments had escaped me and I didn't know why. But then when we arrived in Makarska I felt like something great was going to happen. It was hot, much greater than what the thermometer was telling us, surely.

I wandered around the streets on my own for a little while, buying some props for the pirate party we were having that same night. There is something almost spiritual, I find, when you have moments with yourself. A feeling of serenity layered my soul as my thoughts ceased at the sight of my surroundings. Makarska truly is a beautiful place.

At this point in the trip we had become close with everyone we had met on our sail, but this time it was just the two of us, Lisa and I who had whisked away for a few minutes and enjoyed ourselves.

The heat was hitting us all over and we couldn't get into the water sooner. So, we swam in the clear depths of Makarska, surrounded by an incredible view of still waters and high peaks. It felt as if we were being cradled by the mountains, almost like they held us together in our own little moment, just the two of us.

We were acting silly as we tried to swim with different strokes, and in between the fits of laughter, an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness embodied me. In that moment, I felt incredibly lucky to be where I was. I couldn't stray my mind to troubles or worries in a moment such as this; swimming in Croatia with my cousin by my side, the sun on our faces, surrounded by such beauty that I never dreamt of seeing.

It made me think about how life can throw a lot at you. But I believe it wouldn't throw anything that you couldn't handle. Moments like these make me believe that you do get rewarded in this life, and all the pain is worth experiencing if the reward is even just a second of a bliss like this.